


Recurring Nightmares

by bookl0ver



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Deaf Character, Don't copy to another site, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:21:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24015121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookl0ver/pseuds/bookl0ver
Summary: Callum finds himself alone and helpless, with no idea where he is, how he got there or why. All he knows is that he's scared and he doesn't have a clue what is going on.Just like last time.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Comments: 4
Kudos: 48





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Context for when this story takes place: Boat crash and Keanu kidnapping Callum happened as we saw it. AU/Canon divergent in that Ben is actively trying to go straight, Callum is still an Undertaker, Ben's had his implant, and Callum and Ben live together at the flat alone. 
> 
> There is some mention of rape and murder but it doesn't happen to Callum and isn't explicit. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Silence echoed around Callum, eerie and terrifying. He tried to get a bearing of where he was, but the cloth tied over his eyes made that impossible. He couldn’t make out anything visually, and there was nothing to hear. 

Once again he moaned in frustration, the tape sealing his mouth shut muffling the sound. He didn’t even know what had happened, or how he had got here. One minute he was jogging in the local park, and the next he was waking up here, wherever here was, arms wrenched behind his back and tied down to a chair. 

Thoughts and theories whirled through his brain, trying to piece together anything that might explain this. He had thought maybe it was some kind of prank, but the way he was bound hurt, and he knew none of his friends would ever deliberately hurt him. They also wouldn’t leave him to panic and be scared like this. And they certainly would not have done whatever had been done to make his head throb. 

He couldn’t have been awake for more than a few minutes, and already his arms ached and his wrists were raw from the coarse rope. Trying to struggle did nothing, there was no slack in any of the ropes binding him, not even in the ones wrapped around his ankles, trapping his legs against those of the chair. Every breath was a sharp reminder of the rope tying his torso to the back of the chair, keeping him even more pinned. 

His breathing started to speed up as the reality of how helpless he was sank in. Tied to a chair, unable to get out or shout for help, with no idea where the hell he was or what whoever had done this to him had planned. 

His heart yearned for Ben, trying not to entertain the idea that he’d been taken for revenge against his boyfriend once more. Keanu Taylor flashed into his mind then, the memories of a cold, dark warehouse, beatings and chains surging up from where he had buried them. Attacking him, haunting him. 

At least there he knew what was going on, knew that Keanu didn’t want to kill him, didn’t want anything else from him. He was just leverage to Keanu, and as long as he sat quietly, he was mostly left alone. Here though, he had no idea what was wanted from him. 

A cold wave of terror washed over him at the thought that this might have nothing to do with Ben at all. This could be random, him in the wrong place at the wrong time when some psycho looking for a new victim had spotted him. 

Startled, he thought back to the news, about a young man found sexually assaulted and murdered in the Thames. It had only happened a week ago, according the reports. They had identified him only yesterday, and- 

Callum shook his head, trying to chase away these thoughts of dread. That wasn’t what this was, surely. Breathing harshly through his nose, he tried to force himself to calm down. Panicking would do no good. He needed to reserve his energy, in case someone came and gave him an opportunity to escape. 

The knot in his stomach didn’t ease up with his slowed breaths, and he found himself struggling against the ropes despite the sting on his wrists. If he could just loosen the ropes a bit, maybe get his hands on a knot- 

A door crashed open and he froze, head whipping around as he tried to locate the source of the sound. There was three heart stopping moments of silence before a voice was heard. 

“Callum? Callum?” 

Ben. Frantic and terrified, but Ben’s voice nonetheless. 

Relief flooded through him and he sagged against the ropes. Ben was here, his boyfriend was here. 

He was going to be okay.


	2. Reasons and Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben rescues Callum and explains everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of deafness/cochlear implants, very lightly implied rape/sexual assault, and implied murder and violence. 
> 
> If any of these things make you uncomfortable feel free to not read. 
> 
> Thank you for clicking, I hope you enjoy.

Callum found himself screaming Ben’s name into the gag, knowing logically that even with his implant switched on, there was no way Ben would be able to hear the muffled sounds. 

Footsteps echoed, getting closer and closer and Callum’s heart pounded, desperate for this to really be Ben and not some sick trick of his imagination. That had happened with Keanu, his footsteps sounding eerily similar to Ben’s, convincing Callum the nightmare was over, only for his boyfriend to not swan around the corner. 

“Callum!” 

Hands were suddenly on him, wrapped around him and he couldn’t help but flinch away, pressing against the chair. 

“Sorry, sorry, I’m so fucking sorry, Callum, baby are you alright?” Ben rambled endlessly as he cupped Callum’s face, taking in the state of him before setting about releasing him. 

He removed the blindfold from over Callum’s eyes, forcing him to snap his eyes shut against the comparative brightness of the room. He was just managing to blink them open when Ben gripped the edge of the tape over his mouth. 

“Callum, this is going to hurt okay?” 

Callum nodded softly and clenched his jaw in anticipation. Ben tore the tape off and Callum gasped as the adhesive ripped against his skin. 

“Ben,” Callum started, coughing as he took in just how dry his mouth was now that he was trying to talk. “Ben what the hell is going on?”

Ben was on his knees, fingers frantically fiddling with the ropes around Callum’s ankles. He paused and looked up guiltily before shaking his head and continuing to work Callum’s legs free. 

Once those ropes were released Ben quickly worked his way behind Callum and began untying the knots keeping Callum’s hands bound behind his back. As soon as they were released Callum whimpered, finally able to move his stiff and aching arms. A small sound akin to a sob escaped him as the blood rushed back into his numb fingers. 

Finally, Ben got the rope across his chest undone, and Callum immediately slumped forward without it holding him up. His body started to tremble, and when Ben crouched in front of him, gentle hands on his shoulders, he crumbled. 

Tears streamed down his face, his breath coming out in hiccups and sobs as his brain tried to process what the hell had just happened to him. What the hell had just happened to him again. 

“Come on, let’s get you out of here.” Ben said gently, putting his arms around Callum’s waist and easing him up. His body still sore and achy, he had to lean heavily on Ben as they made their way out of the strange room and through further rooms until they reached Ben’s car. 

Once Callum had been helped into his seat Ben drove off. He tried to speak but the shock of what had happened was clearly still registering, judging by his slack posture and glazed expression. Ben had to force himself not to look at him, not to look at the gash on his head from where he’d been abducted, the tears still tracking silently down his cheeks and the raw marks on his wrists. Every glance at them filled his stomach with acid, made him want to go mad with rage. 

They arrived home, Ben helping Callum up and into the safety of their flat. Stuart and Rainie had got their own place with the divorce settlement from Max, so the flat was all theirs. Callum remained silent as he was placed on the sofa, a blanket draped over his trembling form. 

“Babe, you want a cuppa?” Ben asked softly, crouching down in front of him. Ben’s face suddenly so close made Callum jump, and Ben cursed the world at the flash of panic and fear that cracked across Callum’s beautiful face. 

“Yeah, go on then.” Callum replied, voice dull. The tears had stopped falling now, and Ben almost preferred them to the faraway, spaced out expression that had settled on Callum's face.

Warily, Ben headed to the kitchen, glancing back at Callum every few seconds. 

If you asked Callum what he was thinking about in that moment, he’d have struggled to answer. Every thought that whirled around his head was ugly and terrifying, was the only thing he knew. He thought of what would have happened to him if Ben hadn’t found him, why he’d been taken in the first place, how Ben had found him, who the hell had taken him, and when would this nightmare end. First Keanu, now this. It was like some kind of cosmic joke. Step right up, Kidnap Callum Highway – first kidnapping to end in a mental breakdown gets a prize! 

That last thought amused him as much as it angered him, and he let out a huff that could’ve been laughter. The sound of a mug hitting the table drew him out of his thoughts and to Ben, who was now perched on the coffee table, looking at him with so much worry and pain that Callum felt guilty for causing it. 

“I suppose you want an explanation,” Ben began, now that Callum seemed to be aware of his presence. Callum nodded and picked up his mug, holding it to his chest for warmth. 

“Right. So, a bloke I used to work with got in touch. Wanted me to do a job for him. I told him no, I was out of the game. He tried to insist. When I still said no, he was huffy, but I thought he gave up. I really thought our lives were as simple as us saying no and people respecting that,” Ben sighed mournfully, recounting all the times they’d had to fight, both together and separately, for people to listen to them. He put down his own mug and was surprised to find Callum’s hand entwining with his. He smiled softly at him, before he caught sight of the pain still swimming in those beautiful blue eyes and the ugly mark on his forehead. Glancing back down, he continued, eyes focusing on the way his thumb moved soothingly across Callum’s hand. 

“Then you didn’t come back from your run. I was starting to get worried; it’d been about two hours and Jay was asking why you weren’t at Coker’s. I was about to go searching when my old associate turned up at the door, with a video of you on his phone. God, Callum, seeing you like that, it was awful.” He stopped, bile rising in his throat as the images flashed through his mind. That creep stroking Callum’s hair as he lolled unconscious, the comments that had been made, dirty, disgusting insinuations and threats of just what would happen to Callum if Ben didn’t obey. A shudder ran through him, Callum squeezing his hand softly. 

“I’m alright.” Callum said quietly, placing his mug down to take Ben’s hands in both of his. “You got me out. You saved me.” Ben glanced up at him, the soft smile and love that radiated from Callum encouraging him. Callum deserved to know what had happened. 

“He threatened to hurt you, kill you even, if I didn’t do what he said. After the job was done, he’d let you go. This weren’t like with Keanu though Cal. Keanu would only have killed you if I hadn’t have come through. This bloke, he’d probably have killed us both regardless. So, I accepted, called me dad and some associates and we followed him. He led us right back to you, and as far as I can tell, my dad is ‘dealing’ with him.” Ben finished, eyes scanning Callum’s face. 

A few seconds passed as Callum processed what Ben had told him. It all made sense, and Ben was actually honest with him. He knew what dealing with someone meant in Phil Mitchell’s world, yet he couldn’t bring himself to care. 

“It’s definitely over?” He asked eventually. 

Ben nodded hurriedly, eager to reassure him. “It’s all over. The word is out, anyone touches you they’ll have Phil Mitchell and his associates to deal with. Nobody wants that. You’re safe now baby, I swear.” 

A beat of silence and then- “Hold me.” 

Ben instantly crossed to the sofa and took Callum in his arms, pulling him down into his chest. They sat there, Callum finally feeling safe in the warmth of Ben, protected in the circle of his arms. Ben felt like he could breathe for the first time all day. Even after he had found Callum, he had been convinced that Callum would leave him, declare their relationship to be the danger and liability Ben had always known it was, and disappear from his life forever. To have him back, safe and staying, still his Callum, overwhelmed him, his love and desire to protect him washing over him in fierce waves. 

Eventually Callum broke the embrace, sitting up. “Ben, help me get in the shower. I’m filthy.” 

Ben was immediately up and obeying his boyfriend, gently urging him up and over to the bathroom. He ran the shower head whilst Callum undressed slowly, his body still aching from the strain of his captivity. Ben quickly shed his own clothes and helped Callum underneath the hot stream. 

“You don’t need to wash me you know, I’m not an invalid,” Callum mumbled, no heat in his voice. 

“I’m never leaving you alone again, babe. I’ll be your love slave forever, as long as you want me. I’ve gotta take off the speech processor now babe, it can’t get wet, so I won’t be able to hear you. When I get in, I want you to lean back against me and let me look after you, okay?” 

Callum hummed in acquiescence, following Ben’s directions with slow, laboured movements after Ben had placed his speech processor safely in their bedroom and joined him in the shower. 

As Callum relaxed back into Ben’s chest, hot water pouring over him and washing away the grime and easing his aching body, he thought maybe it was okay. Maybe, this was the end of all this shit, and they could finally be happy and safe. 

Maybe.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading. Feel free to leave kudos and comments, they're greatly appreciated. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, have a great day!


End file.
